Peri-operative management of patients having day surgery

Day surgery is now recognised widely as being a vital component of modern healthcare delivery with overall day surgery rates in the UK now > 85%.
This pragmatic consensus statement from the Association of Anaesthetists, British Association of Day Surgery and APAGBI aims to support healthcare providers and institutions with the organisational and clinical peri-operative management of anaesthesia for day surgery in both adults and children.

Day surgery offers an enhanced experience for patients with reduced risk of postoperative complications (e.g. infections, cognitive impairment and venous thromboembolism); reduced utilisation of inpatient beds; decreased hospital expenditure; and reduced environmental impact. Day surgery shortens elective surgery waiting times and has a major role to play in overcoming the elective surgery backlog. Despite this, there is still wide variation in day surgery rates across the UK. There is a huge opportunity for continued improvement in the delivery of services though optimising the efficiency and effectiveness of day surgery.

Recommendations are made regarding the selection, pre-assessment and optimisation of patients having surgery; the impact of comorbidities (including frailty, obesity and obstructive sleep apnoea); surgical procedures (including urgent and emergency surgeries); logistical considerations; anaesthetic techniques; and discharge processes.

This guideline is available on the APAGBI Guidance Pages and the Association of Anaesthetists